current state of the marine aquarium hobby

[Gary Majchrzak]

for the most part everyone I know that has migrated to other areas of the country pretty much misses upstate NY... with the possible exception of the amount of snow we get.

They only realize what they had once it's gone.

 

[Spartan]

I think the hobby has never been better in terms of the equipment that's out there and the ease of getting specimens and the selection. It's way easier then when I started (which I can't believe how long ago).

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I think the hobby has never been better in terms of the equipment that's out there and the ease of getting specimens and the selection. It's way easier then when I started (which I can't believe how long ago).

I agree with that! Newbies don't know how good they have it.... especially regarding information availability.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Gawd I know it! I drove to Rochester once a month to get frags. Guys like Gary drove to Detroit to get frags that everyone was CERTAIN, couldn't be kept captive.

Now I can call any number of local guys or drive less than 5 miles to local shops. Crazy.

As Pascal said it best, the CNY reef keeping community is quite incestuous.

 

[Spartan]

But that said I'll confess I've made a major shift in the last couple of years. I've basically changed my once sps dominated reef over to a softie tank. I was going to start a thread on this but just never got around to it. The driver for change was I just could not keep up the same level of care that I once did - work and kids busier than ever.
I never thought about shutting the tank down but I had to come up with a way to cut the time I spent on it and still have it where I'd be happy looking at it. Have to say it's worked great.
Gary, in particular there's one point of homage you'll see...

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Gary, in particular there's one point of homage you'll see...

hmm. I'll guess either ANEMONE or GORGONIAN.

With my recent divorce I'm busier than ever trying to keep up with everything- and I'm NOT talking about women, Mark :lmao:

Phosphate control, alkalinity and calcium demands, water changes... they are all at the bottom of my own "honey do" list!

I'm very tempted to swith to softies.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I'm right there with you, been thinking of a downsize and simplification. Much like Nate Rogers did a ways back in the Southern tier. Expense & stress goes down. I've eased back on my maintenance regimen and found that certain corals don't like it. Others that have been almost dormant, have exploded in growth. It's a head scratcher.

So what I've found is that they ALL aren't going to be happy. Whether I'm under the tank everyday, or doing a water change once a month, I can keep my reef happy for very little expense. It's what I need to do for the time being. This might not be an acceptable outcome for someone like Tom (TMZ). I don't love it, but if it keeps a reef in my living room ill take it. We all evolve. We all have to adapt.

Brandon (oneradtek202), has had one of the nicer SPS aquariums in town for a few years (like to think my old 180 held that title for a while....). He has a new job & he just got married yesterday. I know his maintenance routine hasn't been on the top of his priority list lately.

Ebb & Flow.

Pascal had one of he MOST extensive systems I've ever seen. Engineered to the hilt. Collection was an eye popper. New house, downsize, 1 tank under construction. Happens.

Hope I'm not overstepping my bounds talking about you guys. If a newbie goes all in like we all did, God bless you! I hope us local guys have made it a little easier on you, just as guys like Gary, Tom, and even Jedi-Stephen did for me.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Phosphates, women, they're all a nuisance!

 

[Spartan]

We named him Richard Parker.
I think this pic is around a year ago.

 

[tmz]

Name brand corals low end, medium end high end. Hard to resist the collector urge. Saw a single zoanthid polyp , colorful but not great , go for $516 on an ebay site, I was surfing. I've sold quite a few frags lately but try to keep it real with a view toward helping folks get some of what they want. I've slowed down on the fragging but I'm still overloaded . I'm more of a coral keeper,arranger for a vibrant aquarium scene and collector than I am grower and seller.

I'm retired ,so I have one of the most necessary ingredients for this hobby, time. It makes a difference to stay on top of things . If time is limited then, I think it's better to limit the complexity of the tank(s) to match the time one and commitment you can make. I wasn't able to do this at this level when I was working and raising 3 kids . BTW, I love softie tanks as much as sps tanks.

I think it' important to ask yourself what you want out of a hobby. For me it's: learning and sharing knowledge , especially the science ;beauty and the art of it ; the challenges and most of all a chance to be with some beautiful an fascinating creatures.

It's a hobby; it's difficult an that's part of what I like about it.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Richard Parker looks great. Very well developed. Did you get him as a juvi?

What a great time to be a newbie at reefkeeping but I would never trade everything I've learned to be one!

 

[Spartan]

Got him as an adult but probably just reached maturity; there were very faint juvenile markings near the anal fin; they're gone now.
Didn't realize they made that chirping/grunting noise like damsels. Guests always find that amazing.

 

[Randy15]

On a higher note there are people such as myself that are still on the upswing of the hobby. Starting from a 30g fish only in my bedroom at my parents house, with no experience and no source of information that I was aware of as a teenager. To my recent upgrade to my 120g last weekend (thanks to pascal). It's been an awsome journey for me over the last century. I feel that I have finally gathered a good base of knowledge and understanding and its beginning to show in my tanks. I owe most of my success to you guys here on urs for all of your priceless knowledge,experience, and willingness to share. Just wanna say thanks. I will share pics of my upgrade as soon as the whole camera thing gets figured out, tired of using terrible iPhone pics that show nothing at all!

 

[toddmh]

I agree my personal situation does not reflect on the state of the hobby,late night last,posting when I should be sleeping was more like venting a bit.. lol..

I have been out of the loop for a wile,but what I do know people still pay crazy amounts of cash for designer corals,that is a good reflection of the hobby..

 

[tmz]

Randy 15, great enthusiasm. Enjoy the journey. Did you really mean a century?; I never met a centenarian before.

 

[Randy15]

Lol no I'm on my phone I fell victim to auto correct

 

[Randy15]

Meant to put decade, only 28. Nice catch!

 

[tmz]

Aw, my youngest child is older than you. Thought you meant decade.

 

[Randy15]

Sorry to disappoint.

 

[gone fishin]

I wonder how much the expensive fancy gadgets lull a new reefer into a false sense of security.

What I mean is they buy these things but never get a true understanding of the basics of what it takes to keep a tank going. In no time they go bust and look at the cash they laid out, then decide to move on.